Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions shared are mine.

There isn’t a vacation in store for my family this summer. We just moved last summer and it was a whirlwind year. We are really enjoying the time at home. However, I did take a mind-cation to Portugal as a reader-guest at Ali and Will’s destination wedding! If you haven’t read a Sandie Jones novel before, this is a good one to start with.

Sandie Jones is the queen of family drama, and she brings it again with The Guilt Trip. It was hard for me to relate to most of the characters in this story; my friends are not the type to have destination weddings in Portugal, thank goodness. The adults behaved as though they were in high school. You know the saying…. “With friends like these, who needs enemies?” If you can stand that — and I can — it’s entertaining to watch as the relationships and secrets implode.

The setting of the story is incredible! It’s like something you’d see on TV, with cliffside resorts, glamorous people, and extravagant dinners. Like I said, it’s like taking a vacation in your mind. And you don’t even have to pack a bag! I’m always happier if I can enjoy the ride from my comfy reading spot.

You might surprise yourself by the end of the book, as Jones expertly manipulates the reader’s perspective. She is a master of turning the tables, making you rethink what you previously accepted as truth. It is a good lesson to learn for real life, too.

Thanks to Minotaur Books for sending me a copy of this book! (Opinions shared are mine.)